Sour grape recipes?

[KerrynN]

Hi,
We have some not so sweet grapes sitting in the fridge. They are too sour to eat from the bunch and I would hate to just throw them in the compost. Does anyone have any suggestions for how to use sour Thompson seedless grapes? I had a look at the recipes at http://www.forumthermomix.com/index.php?topic=3346.0 but they all seem to call for nice tasting grapes... which we would just eat without bothering to cook.
Fingers crossed,
Kerryn

[judydawn]

How about freezing them for sorbet Kerryn -  added sugar would hide their tartness. 

[Cuilidh]

Perhaps you could try grape jelly?

[achookwoman]

Perhaps you could try grape jelly?

Yes this is what I would do.  You just need to adjust the sugar to compensate for the sourness.
Cover with water and cook in TMX for 20 mins,  then zap on speed 5 for 10 seconds.
Strain through a Chux sitting in a strainer.
Use the juice and 3/4 of the volume in sugar.  That is if 1 Lt of juice add 750g of sug.
All into jug and boil on Varoma until it sets.  Should take about 30.  mns.

If the grapes are sour then you should not need Jamsetta.

You could also use the strained juice as a base for other jams.   
Hope this helps

[Cuilidh]

Thanks for that information, Chookie.  I've only actually made grape jelly once before, many years ago (pre TMX days) and wasn't sure how to do them in the TMX so you have come to my rescue.  It looks like we'll have a good crop of eating grapes this year (birds permitting) and our crab apple trees are well laden as well so it could be a jelly year for me.

Would I use the same proportion of sugar to crab apple juice and the same cooking times as you have noted here for crab apple jelly?

I bought a jelly bag with a stand a year or so ago and found it to be a great help for many things - I've only used it to make jelly a couple of times, but it's so handy for draining yoghurt, etc as well.  It doesn't get a lot of use but it's so good when I need it.

[achookwoman]

                       Cuilidh,      Jelly sometimes needs more sugar.   Crabapple jelly is the best.  Make sure you don't squeeze the bag or it will be cloudy.   I would still keep some Jamsetta handy.    The problem with making jam/jelly in the TMX is that the evaporation is not as good as with the pan method.   I have been collecting the windfalls to make some 'juice'. For some raspberry and blackberry jelly. Let me know how you go.

[Cuilidh]

Will do, Chookie, but don't hold your breath, our crab apples are still a long way off being ripe.

[Cuilidh]

Well, we lost every grape to the birds earlier this year so I couldn't try the grape jelly, but our crab apple tree is dripping with fruit just now so I made jelly and it turned out well (just to be on the safe side, I added the juice of 1/2 a lemon, but I don't really think it needed it).  I had to make it on the stove top as there were too many crab apples for my TMX, but it turned out beautiful and clear so I am very happy with it.  Might have to  make another batch this weekend as I cannot bear to see the harvest going to waste, but will end up with so many jars of jelly I won't be able to give them away! 

Thanks for your guidance, Chookie.

[achookwoman]

Marina,  great to hear of your success.  You could add some frozen Raspberries to the  Crabs when you cook them.  That is before you strain the juice..  This gives a beautiful jelly.  I do this for the GC as they don't like the seeds in jam.  Have fun.

[Cuilidh]

That sounds like a nice mixture.  Thanks for the idea.

[Cuilidh]

Chookie, I have just finished a batch of crab apple and raspberry jelly.  I used c. 150 gm frozen raspberries and I was surprised at how the taste really cut through the crab apples as I used about 2 - 3 kgs of c.a's.  I used a little less sugar as I wasn't wanting the jelly to be too sweet and it is a beautiful ruby red colour.  Just waiting for it to cool down and see how it tastes.

[achookwoman]

Marina,  hope you like it.  Let me know.

[Cuilidh]

After my earlier comments, I was surprised when I tasted the jelly last night to find that there was no discernable taste of raspberries!  I had been tasting the syrup during the prep. stages, i.e. after straining the pulp, and the raspberry taste was really strong, but by the end the crab apples obviously toned them down.  I actually prefer it the way it has turned out as the colour is gorgeous and the taste is good.  Now all I have to do is find homes for all the jars of jelly I've got (15 jars made and only 'homes' for 5 so far!)

[achookwoman]

Marina, it keeps well.

[Cuilidh]

... fortunately!